With an average speed just below 280 km/h (175 mph) it beats even the famous Hockenheim-Ring in Germany in this respect and as suchcalls for a setup that differs fundamentally from the other, slower tracks. This 5.8 km (3.6 miles) long track features extremely long straights but even so they pass by within a few seconds at speeds of 330 km/h (206 mph) and more.

The lateral forces ,tearing at your helmet just moments earlier, slowly fade away as you steer through the second part of the Parabolica and the tyres also cease their sqealing as they find grip again as you blast past the pit entry and race toward the Rettifilo --the start/finish straight. The tyres are hot, the engine strong and the gears fit for speeds beyond 330 km/h so you determinedly cross the starting-line at 322 km/h (201 mph) and keep accelerating while thousands of spectators madly wave their flags and yell frantically at you, showing their support.

The numbers on the tachometer increase bit by bit until you reach the maximum speed of 334 km/h (209 mph) at which the acceleration ends. The distance markers on the right, announcing the important Variante Goodyear, fly past you as the car follows the gentle bend to the right, all the time within a hand's breadth of the grass on the right...

300m.. 200m.. 100m.. Pass the 100m sign too by another 10 meters and then step very hard into the brakes while shifting from the 6th gear to the 1st. [ Braking too early (at 100m) will deprive you of the chance to maneuver quickly in the left-right part at the entry since the car won't have enough momentum to do so. ] Steer to the left and enter the Variante Goodyear at approximately 190-170 km/h (119-106 mph) and catch the gentle skid by steering to the right [ all the time braking ! ]. By now the speed will have dropped to about 130 km/h (81 mph) which is just right in these close quarters. [ It is very important that you brake long enough (deep enough into the curve) so that your speed is low enough to stay very close to the apexes (especially in the right-hand part !) ]

Upon entering the short straight dividing this Variante Goodyear in two, hit the throttle shortly and move back to the right side of the track in order to be in a good position for the left-right combination at the exit. [Throughout the whole combination, try to stay on the right half of the track. Letting the car slide too far towards the left will be a big disadvantage when approaching the exit.] For a really perfect exit you will have to induce the 'snap-effect', meaning that the front of the car virtually 'jerks' from one side to the other. In this case it often helps to release the throttle for an instant to put some weight back on the front wheels [ resulting in more grip at the front ] and when the car points in the right direction, hit the throttle again for good.

Stay away from the curbs and accelerate in 1st gear and then in 2nd as the rear tyres are on the verge of slipping because of the low-downforce setup. Just touch the curbs on the left and keep accelerating as you approach Curva Grande, a flat-out gentle right-hand bend. Rev up the 3rd, 4th and finally the 5th gear while driving through it and watch out for the first splittime as you come onto the straight.